1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cellular telephone networks and, in particular, to a cellular telephone network providing for inter-network short message service (SMS) message transmissions.
2. Description of Related Art
In accordance with TIA/EIA Interim Standards 41 and 136 hereinafter referred to as the "IS-41 and 136 Specifications", provision is made for using a short message service (SMS) message to transmit text (i.e., alphanumeric) messages between mobile stations, base stations and mobile switching centers in a cellular telecommunications network. To facilitate this service, the cellular network includes a message center (often located in the mobile switching center itself) to store SMS messages, initiate the transmission of SMS messages to mobile stations and receive SMS messages transmitted from mobile stations. Use of SMS messages is also authorized by the IS-41 and 136 Specifications for the transmission of text messages between two mobile stations over the cellular telecommunications network via the message center (i.e., an intra-network message communication).
Today's society demands access to and communication over, among and between multiple networks such as a local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), conventional telephone network and cellular telephone network. While the current IS-41 and 136 Specifications adequately handle the transmission of text messages using SMS message transmissions within the cellular telecommunications network itself, the specifications fail to address the need for text message transmission between the cellular network and other networks (like the conventional telephone network, LAN or WAN) in the form of inter-network communications. The failure of the IS-41 and 136 Specifications to facilitate such inter-network message communications comprises a serious drawback to the specifications that has not yet been addressed by the art or the specification committee.
A crude and inefficient solution to this deficiency, which does however operate within the current IS-136 Specification boundaries, involves assignment of a human operator to the message center to handle the passage of messages between the cellular network and various other networks over which communication may be desired. In accordance with this solution, when a subscriber initiates an inter-network SMS text message at a mobile station and transmits the message to the message center, the human operator then reformats the message for transmission over another network (using a facsimile or e-mail transmission) and attends to the delivery of the message to a third party over that network. Alternatively, when a third party initiates an inter-network message on another network for transmission to the message center, the operator then reformats the message for network transmission (using an SMS message transmission) and attends to the delivery of the message to a certain subscriber mobile station over the cellular network.
There is accordingly a need for a method and system for allowing cellular subscribers to both initiate and receive inter-network message transmissions without invoking human operator interaction or intervention. In particular, there is a need for an automated system and method for facilitating inter-network message communication between mobile station subscribers on a short message service supported cellular network and users of other networks which may be connected thereto.